Brits face Easter getaway hell at Faro airport with holidaymakers stuck in ‘three-hour queues’ amid ‘staff shortages and e-Gates that don’t work’
- Have YOU been affected by the travel chaos? Email [email protected]
By Aidan Radnedge[1] and Natasha Anderson[2]
Published: 16:38, 31 March 2024 | Updated: 20:13, 31 March 2024
British holidaymakers are facing Easter[3] getaway misery and queuing for hours amid alleged staffing shortages at the main airport in a popular resort area of Portugal.
Travellers claim they have endured three-hour delays at Faro International Airport, alleging that e-Gates malfunctions and a lack of information from airlines.
They described 'carnage at the airport', with children crying and some struggling passengers passing out while waiting in vain to arrive or travel back home to Britain.
A Portuguese police source claimed the disruptions at Faro airport were an 'occurrence of a peak in passenger arrivals' and noted the 'situation is already normalising', according to local reports.
The travel chaos comes as staycationers back home in the UK are enduring lengthy waits on traffic-clogged motorways.
Meanwhile, the Met Office[4] has warned that heavy rain in the south of England and parts of Wales will likely cause travel disruption and lead to difficult driving conditions this evening.
Yvette Hughes was among the holidaymakers stuck in chaos at Faro airport today
Tourists have told of lengthy waits for their flights away from the Portuguese resort
Tourists described how electronic gates were not working amid alleged staff shortages
Yvette Hughes took to X, formerly Twitter[5], to challenge airline Jet 2 over the Faro chaos.
She wrote: 'What the hell is going on?
3 and a half hour's queuing through security.
'My knees are swollen, someone has passed out, children are crying. Not a bit of information from anyone.'
The airline told her: 'We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused.
However, the same has been forwarded to us for a quick action.
'Kindly send us a direct message and we will update you at earliest and accordingly.'
Ms Hughes later responded by saying: 'Still queuing and no reply.
4 hours.'
Another passenger posted: 'Legitimately been in line for customs for 3 hours at Faro airport. My flight was only an hour and 40.'
And a fellow traveller wrote: 'Faro Airport. Not enough staff.
Electronic gates that don't work. People stuck for over 3 hours and not moving. Happy Easter.'
A source within Portugal's Policia de Seguranca Publica told the Correio da Manha[6] newspaper that the chaos this morning came amid 'peak' passenger arrivals.
'The PSP had all available staff working, with all document control booths open.
But it took a while to let passengers on flights that arrived in the morning,' the source said. In the afternoon they added that the situation was 'normalising'.
Flights appear to be arriving and departing from the airport relatively on time now, according to FlightAware data published this evening.
The disruption in Portugal comes as travellers hoping to make the most of the Easter weekend found themselves trapped in 'horrendous' 20-mile long queues[7] on major motorways in the UK.
Staycationers were clogging up routes to Devon and Cornwall, while holidayers also experienced lengthy delays at the Port of Dover in Kent.
And there was 'significant' congestion around the M25 and roads in the South West and South East of England.
Hundreds of people have been queuing for Eurostar train services at St Pancras International station in central London as part of the Easter getaway
Many services normally departing from London Euston have been setting off elsewhere
Easter bank holiday traffic has built up with speed restrictions on the M5 motorway going south past Bristol
Passengers queue for ferries at the Port of Dover in Kent over the holiday weekend
And heavy rain in the south of England and parts of Wales will likely cause travel disruption and lead to difficult driving conditions this evening, forecasters have said.
The Met Office predicted heavy showers between 8pm and 11.45pm which could affect bus and train services, with road flooding potentially increasing journey times.
A yellow weather warning has been issued for parts of south-west and south-east England, and parts of Wales.
Affected regions include Portsmouth, Southampton, Bristol, Bath and Cardiff.
Up to 20mm to 30mm of rainfall is expected to fall in some areas over a short period of time.
Liam Eslick, a forecaster at the Met Office, said there was a 'risk of localised flooding' in areas such as Somerset, Bristol and Dorset as the evening progresses because of sensitive river levels.
Flood warnings were put in place across Dorset and elsewhere on Friday after Storm Nelson saw the south coast battered by rain and high winds.
Mr Eslick said: 'Being the bank holiday weekend, people are travelling around at this time, so we'd recommend checking road coverage if people are driving or any bus and train timetables to see if there are any cancellations.'
The rainfall will move northward after midnight, meaning Monday morning showers are likely across central England, he added.
The RAC and transport analysis company Inrix said 2.01million leisure journeys would be made by car on Easter Monday, with the lengthiest delays expected between 10am and noon.
Two million car journeys are expected to be disrupted tomorrow following heavy downpours - pictured: A BMW stuck in the road following floods in Essex
The Environment Agency has put in place 13 flood warnings - where flooding is expected - and 125 flood alerts - where flooding is possible for the weekend.
Pictured: Worcestershire County Cricket Club flooded after the River Severn burst its banks on Saturday
An Environment Agency map reveals where flood warnings and flood alerts have been issued
No weather warnings have yet been issued for Monday.
The Met Office also said the Sunday evening rain may be 'accompanied by an isolated rumble of thunder', as it encouraged people to check if their property is at risk of flooding and plan journeys in advance to minimise disruption to their commute.
Guidance on the Met Office website encourages drivers to reduce their speeds, as rain can reduce visibility, and give themselves more time to brake on slippery road surfaces - suggesting a gap of at least four seconds between traffic.
Areas in the north of England and Scotland are expected to be much sunnier throughout the day and experience less rain, the weather service said.
Have YOU been affected by the travel chaos?
Email [email protected]
References
- ^ Aidan Radnedge (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Natasha Anderson (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Easter (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Met Office (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Twitter (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Correio da Manha (www.cmjornal.pt)
- ^ trapped in 'horrendous' 20-mile long queues (www.dailymail.co.uk)